Question

: Do you think Akbar's administration penetrated the grass root level?​

Answer 1

Answer:

Akbar divided his kingdom into fifteen Subas or provinces. Each province was governed

by a Sipah Salar who was also known as Subedar. He was assisted by a Diwan or Finance

Minister and a Qazi or judge. The Diwan looked after the finances of the province while the

Qazi was the head of th judicial department. The provinces were divided into Sarkars

(district) and the Sarkars were sub-divided into Parganas. The head of the Sarkar was called

Faujdar. He was responsible for maintaining law and order in this area. There were many

villages and towns in a Paragana. In a town the Kotwal or Inspector of Police was given

overall charge of its administration. The Panchayats also played an important part in the

administration of the villages.

Akbar paid special attention to the land revenue administration. He

improved upon Sher Shah’s system with the help of his Finance Minister, Raja Todar Mal. He

ordered the survey and measurement of the land under cultivation by means of a new kind of

Jarib (an instrument used for the measurement of land) which was made of pieces of bamboo

joined together with iron rings. It gave a more correct measurement of land than the

instrument used till then. The land under cultivation was divided into four classes according to

its fertility and the share of the state was fixed accordingly. The farmers were allowed to pay

the revenue in cash or kind. In case of famine, drought or some other unforeseen calamity,

remission of land revenue was granted. Sometimes loans were also advanced to the farmers

for the purchase of seeds and animals. In the beginning, the land revenue was assessed

annually, but later on it was assessed for ten years. As a result o the reforms introduced by

Akbar in the land revenue administration, the farmers were better off than before and the

country became prosperous